Tom & Eddie’s

Phenomenal burgers, and the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. The table-​numbers are a bit strange, but they make up for it by having fun kids toys (I’m only a kid at heart, but I had a great for with them).
I don’t think you’ll find a better burger at a fast food restaurant anywhere else.

No matter which burger I get, I Never fail to be blown away by the quality of the ingredients and presentation. Yes, it’s a neighborhood hamburger joint, but they take Quality and Excellence Seriously!
Recent special, BLT Cheeseburger is a perfect case in point. Melt in your mouth goodness!
They have a «loyalty» program — card + points + rewards — but I prefer to just pay full price and come back because it’s Awesome! Given the choice between Tom & Eddie’s at list price and, say, Subway for a steep discount, I’d take T&E every time. You can’t replace a quality experience with discounts!

For the prices, you would expect an amazing gourmet burger. I remember when this place first opened and it was amazing. However, after just recently going, the burger lacked flavor and became just a generic burger you can make at home. Not sure what happened. If you’re looking for a gourmet burger, I would suggest you take your money and spend it elsewhere. This has now become an overpriced place selling burgers that taste eh. If you’re looking for a good milkshake though, they still make it the same way — As delicious as ever!

Good kids spot! It’s fast, clean and they even have a bookshelf of kids toys to keep them occupied during the 5 min they have to wait for their food.
The food was good as well. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich while my husband enjoyed a burger. For the kids we got one grilled cheese and a cheeseburger. The grilled cheese ended up being the winner of the evening since my 3 yr old declared she no longer eats meat (even though she had meatballs for dinner the night before). Who can keep up? Oh, and I can’t forget the sweet potato fries that were easily the best part of my meal.
We ended our meal by sharing a cookie that my little «vegetarian» took off the counter and opened while we were paying for the food. The sure way to make sure your parents purchase dessert. Sigh.
Eating out with 2 toddlers can be a nightmare, but thanks to the fast service and toys this was easy. And once we were all full they had a blast running around the little playground right outside.
We likely wouldn’t go out of our way to come here since we have comparable burgers nearby (holler Dewey’s). However, a good option when in the area at kidsnips (like we were), whole foods and other Deerfield establishments.

A lot of these gourmet burger places are opening up so I’m always game to try another place. My son recommended this place because it’s close to where he goes to college. Started by an ex-​McDonalds executive, these burgers are anything but what would be under the golden arches.
I had the Primavera Burger. The meat was very juicy, cooked to medium with no pink in the middle. It was seasoned well and when I bit in the juice dripped on my plate. That’s a good sign that the meat was not overcooked. The actual ground beef is Angus which made for a spectacular eating experience.
The fries were good. I wish they were seasoned a bit more. Or how about putting some seasoning on the table, other than salt and pepper so people can put it on themselves?
To top it off they had some specialty sodas in the dispenser from Boylan. My wife loves the black cherry and I had the Birch Beer which is similar to root beer (made from the sweet birch) and is a bit sharper than regular root beer. Loved it!

The food here is great I love the edamame burger. I generally phone in orders to go and my only complaint is the order generally is not exactly right so be sure to check ur order before leaving. Nice staff but eye for detail is not a strongpoint.

Decent fast food, however, I can’t get into this place. The veggie burgers are not good and I wish they were because I’d eat here a lot more. Fries are delic but don’t want to come just for that.
Great milkshakes my kids say so props on that.

Tom & Eddie’s in Deerfield got a number of weak reviews early on with two major complaints: the cost of eating there, and flat-​grilled, not broiled, burgers. People complained about paying midrange ($ 10 plus drink) prices for counter service of fast food burgers. I wouldn’t put much emphasis on the early cost complaints if I were you.
T&E has changed its menu and pricing policies *many* times since those early reviews ran. Initially the burger price was bundled with a side dish, like fries or small salad. But people just didn’t get that and complained about pricing on Unilocal.T&E gave up and unbundled it and cut the burger prices, $ 6 – 7 at this time for ¹⁄₃ pound loaded burgers, a little less for basic burgers, a little more for ½ pound burgers.
And though T&E has counter service – you order from a line at a counter, and they bring your food out to you – the service is generally first-​rate, much better than fast food places. If there is any issue or a reorder such as for dessert, it’s taken care of from the table; you don’t get back in line at the counter. T&E staff – often the manager on duty – gathers up your dirty dishes – no wastebasket at the door. And they have a no-​tipping policy.
Some reviewers got wrapped up about the burger being in effect two to three bucks more than the «high-​end» Mickey D burgers, but the quality of the burger and the ingredients on the T&E specialty burgers was quite a bit better than McD’s. If saving a few bucks is that important, by all means, go fast food, but understand: you get what you pay for. Compared to mid-​range table-​service burger places where you tip (or fast food places where you don’t tip), T&E’s is a better value to me. And flat-​grilling the burgers rather than broiling them doesn’t bother me at all. They still taste great.
So all that said as to why I think some of the early reviewers misunderstood the assignment, here’s why I rate Tom & Eddie’s five stars: delicious specialty (or build-​your-​own) burgers – I’ve tried most of the specialty ones and enjoyed them all – excellent chicken sandwiches and entrée salads – terrific sweet potato fries – Coke not Pepsi and a very deep fountain drink selection – superb milk shakes – a very community-​minded owner with lots of community special events – the manager often comes around and checks with you – good toys to keep kids amused – good vibe and appearance. I have tried some of the other midrange burger chains such as Five Guys and the Cali-​venerated In’N’Out, and T&E is my favorite one.
Used to be, you’d walk in to T&E Deerfield, and there’d be six people dining and no one in line, even at a meal time. That time has passed. Today I went in on a school/​workday noon, and it was very busy. At least 25 people in line ahead of me. And from the time I got in line to the time I was served was less than 15 minutes, and most of that time was spent in line. Excellent service for such a busy place. I think people are finally warming to this restaurant, and I’m glad to see it doing well.

I stopped into Tom & Eddie’s last week for lunch and was super impressed! They offer beef, turkey, chicken (grilled or fried chicken strip style), ahi tuna, and edamame burgers all with a wide variety of yummy toppings. I tried the Burger Primavera and am a big fan. I also really love their truffle aioli that I order on the side to dip my fries in or just spread all over my burger because I just can’t get enough truffles! They have great fries, both regular and sweet potato, and chips and haystack onions that they make in-​house. Finally… if you have room they also have a variety of thick shakes that looked really, really good… next time I will definitely have to give them a try!

Happy Update! :-)
After a really long and exhausting experience at Home Depot, I was nervous to bring my family (and parents) here. After the last time I came here with the kiddos and had to wait for service, I was worried my hungry crew would have to wait for their food… that would be bad, because I think everyone would have exploded.
But, I took a another chance, and low and behold the kinks at this place have been worked out! By the time I had the chance to check-​in and write a Tip my food was out and on the table… YES!!!
I’m seriously loving the family vibe here. With only one available table left in the restaurant, the place was busy at 7pm on a Sunday night with families out and about. I ordered the kids meal again for myself. Honestly the kid burgers are just a-​okay, but the value is worth it ($ 4.99) and the sweet potato fries are pretty decent. The burger is pretty thin, but they offer a nice selection of cheese toppings, including pepper jack and gouda!
I hope they keep up the service, because the food is great quality. We’ll be back!

I wasn’t quite hungry for a burger and was hesitant to go here for lunch. Since I was with a coworker that was craving Tom & Eddie’s, I was at her mercy.
As soon as I saw goat cheese and basil pesto on the menu, I jumped right on the opportunity to eat that for dinner. However, I was VERY hesitant to try this as it was an edamame burger. (What?!?) Having never heard of that before, I asked the guy behind the counter what he’s heard about it.
«It’s actually my favorite burger on the menu.»
…Seriously? Coming from a guy?
He NAILED the recommendation. I’m not usually one for burgers other than the typical 100% beef, but this edamame burger was delicious. DEFINITELY try it!

Spawned from a pair of McDonald’s veteran C-​level executives, Tom & Eddie’s takes burgers to the next level. Part of the premium fast casual trend in restaurants, they offer higher end gourmet burgers made to order. The ingredients are high quality, the specialty burgers are also very inventive. You can go in and order at the register where they will give you a card which tells the expediters where you’re sitting in the restaurant to deliver your order, or you can pre order online with complete customization and pick up your burger in store.
It’s not just excellent beef burgers they offer, which I admit are so good you can practically inhale them, but also an edamame burger, turkey and ahi tuna burger they include. Coupled with chicken sandwiches, pork tenderloin sandwiches as well as petite flet medallion burgers, and your choice of fries, sweet potato fries, housemade chips or side salads, there’s something for everyone.
Prices are a bit high, but the quality is there.

I’ve been ordering the wrong thing here.
In the past I have mentioned that their beef burgers just don’t add up to the sum of their parts. After going all the way out to Deerfield (don’t ask) to end up at a Tom & Eddie’s, I’ve found that stepping away from the beef may the better choice if you want something delicious.
I had the Islander. I’m not Catholic anymore, and besides I don’t even think it was Friday, but I felt like fish anyway. The burger was excellent, primarily because the ahi tuna was mixed with a very good teriyaki sauce and black sesame seeds. With the sweet potato fries, the meal was great.
I still love the quirky bottles of random stuff on the shelves, and the random drinks in the drink machine. I think next time, if I end up back in Lombard, I’ll go ahead and give something a try from the pork side of the menu.

Great concept to fit the North Shore, great location, solid food. Nothing that blew me away though, and for the price it should have.
My wife and I went here b/​c my mom had a gift certificate. I had the Hot-​garian burger and my wife had Turkey Bg. Both were good, served on a toasted bun and the sweet potato fries were a nice option that you don’t see at many places like this. I eat the spiciest of the spicy, so therefor my burger could have been a little more heated up with peppers/​hot sauce.
I guess my only issue is that it’s a bit pretentious for me. They go above and beyond with the beer and wine selections, the endless amount of sides & fountain drink options, plus the amount of condiments they offer.
Let’s face it, I am a pretty plain and simple guy. If you compare Tom & Eddie’s to say, Charlie Beinlichs, it’s insane how many options there are at Tom & Eddies. SO, for me, when it comes down to it, I would rather have a couple options of items to order that are all amazing (i.e. Beinlichs) than to have an overwhelming amount of things to choose from that may take me 3 – 4 visits before I find my go-​to burger.

See Mike’s review… he pretty much summed it up.
I will say that this is a nice alternative to fast food. The burgers were really good, and the deal we got with the groupon was well worth it. The chocolate milk shake here was amazing!!! I don’t know that I would go back without a groupon, it’s a little on the expensive side for a place that you walk up to a counter to place your order.

While driving and texting/​web surfing/​Grouponing/​taking pictures of myself, I noticed a Groupon for Tom & Eddie’s. I told Ashley to take the wheel so I could get a better look. My old man had told me about the fabled T & E’s Groupon before, but I had never laid eyes on it.
It was glorious. $ 12 for two burger meals (burger up to $ 7.99, 2 orders of fries, and 2 drinks). The Lincolnshire/​Vernon Hills is the most convenient for me, but they were sold out, so I purchased the Deerfield location.
Ashley and I went there for lunch the day the Packers beat up the Bears. The friendly cashier told us we could order whatever we wanted, and that the Groupon was good for $ 24 of food. So, we only ordered one order of french fries (more than enough for two people and very tasty), two burgers, one drink, and one chocolate milk shake. It was awesome. Everything was great. There is a wall of condiments for customers to drape their burgers with. Being the All-​American guy that I am, I stuck with ketchup and mustard. But you hippies can use your Cholula or Tabasco sauce or whatever if you’d like.
To top it all off, they gave me a coupon for a free mini milkshake the next time I come in. Is the whole world trying to make me fat!!! I WON’T LET IT!!!

What a cool place! After raving to my mom about The Counter in the Bay area, she said this place would be right up my alley. And it was!
It’s a customizable burger place, with some suggested concoctions, but you can also make your own. I had the edamame burger with brie cheese, lettuce, tomato, wilted spinach, and caramelized onions. It was so, SO tasty! I have had better veggie burgers, with more vegetables in them and stuff, but all the toppings made up for it and then some!
Another highlight was the soda machine (s). They have the futuristic Coke machine, but also a Boylan’s dispenser, with diet root beer that tastes just like a root beer float! One more really cool thing is the way they bring you your order– your number goes into a transponder that wirelessly tells them exactly where you are!
We came here with a groupon, but I would happily come and pay full price! (Which is about $ 10 for a burger).
One request for the future– allow people to put their burger son a bed of lettuce, as a salad, instead of a bun! That’s my favorite thing to do at The Counter across the country!

Gosh, the burger joints sure are fancy up yonder in Deerfield. Even though I work in Glenview, this place is so far north that it qualifies as a lunch expedition. In other words, only once in a blue moon when I have time to burn and feel like a drive. Which is a good thing, because the prices also qualify it as a lunch splurge.
The burgers start at $ 6.99, so by the time you add a drink and side, and perhaps even a «premium» ingredient, you’ve eaten up close to two days’ of lunch money.
The beef burgers are not nearly seven-​dollar quality, but thank St Brigid that they cook them closer to medium rather than grilling out all the pink like most places. The turkey burger, however, is excellent, excellent, excellent.
Oh yeah, and apparently there’s a wild Coca-​Cola machine that dispenses eleventy billion different flavors, but that doesn’t really trip my trigger. I just like Coke Zero, although I do appreciate the options of Sprite Zero (very rare in fountain machines) and diet root beer (absolutely unheard of). Diet root beer is a good dessert drink with which to finish off the meal, so that you are not tempted to buy one of their exceptional milkshakes (of course I had to try one for the sake of research).

I came (again).
T&E was OPEN!
I conquered.
In my attempt to eat as much of the menu as possible, the N’s ordered 3 burgers with 3 different sides (we like to chow down, don’t hate). The «Tried & True» is delicious and classic. The edamame is great for vegetarians, or people who really like the taste of edamame. And of course, for those who want to bite into a meaty burger without all the cholesterol of cows, the turkey burger will please. I need to come back and eat my way through the rest of the menu. That ahi tuna burger has been making eyes at me, and I like what I see.
I appreciate the variety of sides. Usually, when you get a quick-​serve burger, you’re stuck with fries. Here, they come in the sweet potato variety (yay!) but you can also have soup, or fried onions, or even a side salad.
It’s all about options, baby. If you don’t find anything on their menu that appeals to you (you may need to see a professional)… but shrink visits aside, you can build your own burger/​sandwich/​hot dog, with SO many breads/​cheeses/​toppings/​condiments to choose from. AND THE SODAS! A Coke Freestyle machine AND another intriguing soda fountain with black cherry soda.
My #1 suggestion though? DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT HAVING A MILKSHAKE! These things are divine. Sometimes, after having dinner elsewhere, I bat my eyes at J and ask if we can stop in and pick up a milkshake. Chocolate for me, always. You should listen to me and do the same.

Okay we loaded up the car and brought the family here from Downtown Chicago! This is our second visit to a Tom & Eddies but our first visit at this location.
Our GPS told us «You have Arrived!» but we didn’t see the restaurant. We called and I spoke with Alexander and he told me they were located next to the Whole Foods. That was a huge help because Deerfield doesn’t allow colorful signs. Every business looks the same… dear Deerfield I am not a fan of this socialist sign policy you have… some color and flair never hurt anyone!!!
This being our second visit we knew what to expect. We ordered our food and headed to our table. Swiped our number at our table and waited. If you never been to a Tom & Eddies they have the coolest monitor at the table. You swipe your number and that tells the server where to deliver your food. Plus if you need service you hit the call button and someone comes to your table. They can even order more food for you or another beer. You do not have to go back in line. This is the coolest concept ever.
Our food showed up and it was really good. The kids meals here are really good. My little one loves the Chicken Fingers. We also get the organic milk and Apple slices. Love the healthy options.
I ordered the Blue Chip Burger Medium Rare and it was cooked perfectly. The burger has amazing taste and all of the toppings work so well together. The blue cheese and garlic aioli sauce with avocado blend so well together on the burger. You can also get one side with the burger. We have tried them all but really love the onion straws and went with those on this visit. Everything was so good. My wife likes to add some onion straws to the burger too but I am find eating them by themselves.
The interior and décor is well thought out here. The seats are very comfortable. I could sit her all day and relax or eat!!!
They also have the coolest soda machine too… it serves up over a 100 combinations of soda. I’ve never seen anything like it ever.
The additional condiments are so cool too. I discovered organic ketchup, salt free ketchup and spicy ketchup. Of course I had to do a taste test and I tried all three. The spicy ketchup was the best… I liked the kick it served up.
The burgers here are all organic local meat. There is a change going on as consumers become more educated about what we put in our bodies. I believe Tom & Eddies are on the forefront of a food revolution. They may be the first chain to deliver a higher quality of cooked to order fast food. Congrats to them and I wish them all the success in the world.
We also met the General Manager Thomas Dekant and he stopped by several times to see how we were doing. This restaurant cares about what there customers think. I really love customer service and they get it here. I had to make a joke as Thomas went by our table using a Quiet Dirt Devil Vacuum. I said, «General Managers aren’t suppose to be doing that!». He laughed and disagreed with me. It shows the integrity of the employees here when the General Manager doesn’t mind doing a dirty job. It shows true character and someone that cares.
Thomas also brought our daughter out a cookie. Honestly can I make this a 6 star review!!! I should be able to add extra credit somewhere.
Another great visit for us and it made the drive out from downtown worth it. But please Tom & Eddie find that location in downtown Chicago and build it because we want to save some gas!!!